Re: Rabbit Eyes

Like Heinesia had said, no one went out of their way to make trouble for a fellow adventurer unless they were provoked. The adventurers in this city were kept in check by each other, so infighting rarely occurred as long as everyone kept by the rules. Of course it was still scary to leave with danger-filled eyes on him, but he knew he had to get used to it.

Only when he had avoided a stretched out feet from a clear troublemaker that he was able to get to the door. When he had finally left, he could hear the silence from earlier returning to normal inside. White heaved a sigh of relief as if he had passed a very difficult stage. It wasn't as if he was there to make friends, but it was definitely stressful to travel alone without a companion.

He suddenly thought about Shinri again, but realized that there he had revealed moments of weakness again. White shook his head and took in a huge breath.

He was going to be better than this.

Without delay, White quickly headed to the city gate again to meet with the soldier before the day ended.

When he saw the young man, he put his spear down to one side.

"So you're registered?" He took a look at the bronze card and nodded.

"Yes, I'm here to return this to you."

After keeping the leather tag back into his pocket, the soldier curtly replied:

"I see. Then here, I'll return it."

When White received the silver coin, he appeared confused. The soldier explained shortly after, "Adventurers are exempt from the tolls."

So this was what Heinesia meant by an adventurer's perks.

"T-Thank you!"

The soldier snorted and turned his head away. After receiving the money back from entering the city, White bowed and left.

... ... 

(What should I do now?)

He had learnt a whole lot today, and it felt like he shouldn't push himself too much.

"...I should find some place to stay."

Taking out the map, White navigated around the inner district and found the inn recommended by Shinri. 

The exterior of the inn looked like a simple bistro, but the flowers and potted plants besides the flight of brick steps to the entrance gave a very welcoming mood to foreigners who simply wanted to have a brief, relaxed stay in the city. 

Having decided to stay here, White pushed open the glassy double doors and entered the premises. 

Clink. Clink. The doorbells chimed melodiously.

Flashy yellow lights greeted him, illuminated the wood flooring and walls around. Inside the inn was decor with furniture of a classy pub. There were not many people around as he had expected, although there were a few well-dressed adults partaking in some colorful-looking drinks. They had turned to look at him when he had entered, but quickly took their eyes away after realizing that it wasn't anybody important.

White thought that it was nice for things to be inconspicuous like this. He enjoyed the ambience while standing for a few seconds before peering deeper inside.

In the center of the inn was a long marble table curved in a semicircle like those in a sushi restaurant, forming the counter. A female receptionist dressed like a lobby staff in a hotel was stationed there. He felt a little out of place with his get-up, but still mustered up enough courage to come to the counter.

"Welcome to the Dancing Pavilion! How may I help you?"

Although she had been fairly suspicious if the young man was a customer or not, the receptionist still greeted him with a business-like smile. She had blonde hair tied with a ponytail beneath a black-laced ribbon.

When she saw the youth's face obscured behind the hood, the woman widened her eyes and her cheeks became slightly rosy a moment after. It seems that she had straightened her back promptly as well, as if to give off a better impression to the young man.

But because he was used to it, White did not think deeply about why this keeps happening to him during his first encounters with people. But he was honestly glad that she was someone easy to talk to, and that lessened his nervousness from interacting with strangers. It gave him motivation to put in some effort to cure his social anxiety too.

White decided to be straightforward with his intentions as he lacked the ability to chalk up to formalities.

"...T-... To stay, please. ...What are the lodging rates?"

The receptionist raised an eyebrow as she glanced behind him, probably noticing the lack of luggage. But she still aptly followed.

"Yes, the lodging rates are 20 coppers a day, meals would be charged an additional 10."

After thinking for a while, White took out a silver coin from the pouch and placed it on the counter.

"...Then I'll stay uhm... one night here. ...Ah, without the meals, for now."

He thought that 'hotel food' was probably going to be more expensive than local diners, thus he decided to look around a bit more before making his choice. After all, he wasn't going to stay here for extended periods of time either. White was simply looking for temporary lodging at the moment.

At the moment when the coin was slid over with his finger, the receptionist had brushed hers past them, causing White to flinch.

The receptionist seemed to have caught notice of his reaction, and giggled cutely.

"I have certainly received one silver coin. Please hold on." The inn receptionist responded with a flirtatious smile.

Was that intentional? His heart rate had risen because of that.

(Yeah, I must have been overly conscious of her.)

After writing some numbers on a piece of paper, she withdrew 20 copper coins and a key from the drawer at the bottom of the table.

"Then that would be 30 copper coins change. Here is the change and the key, please return the key in the morning when you check out okay?"

"Thank you..."

It seems that 1 silver = 50 copper. He would have to experiment with a gold coin next to see if the denominators held the same in this country.

As he took them from the counter, White thought of something and opened his mouth shamelessly to ask, "By the way, ... do you uhm, know of any good place to eat around here?"

"Hmm, I guess a good place would be the Yunosu Diner from across this street. I've been there a few times already, and they have a good variety of cuisines for a reasonable price."

He was expecting to get turned down, but the receptionist had surprisingly replied him.

(Yunosu Diner...)

White didn't hear of Shinri mentioning a place like this, so it must have opened fairly recently? No, he was just assuming that she knew everything now. Perhaps it was fine to take a look at it tomorrow.

As if the woman had suddenly recalled something, she nervously turned her head towards another person stationed at another counter to the far right. White had not noticed that person at all at first. 

"But if you're looking for good liquor or a nice place to relax, you can just come to the bar here for your meal." 

White saw a serious-looking, white-haired elderly wiping a wine glass with a cloth. He appears to be someone like a bartender in this inn, and was dressed with an aloof demeanor that implied that he held quite the experience catering for rich people. Since their conversation had caught his attention, the receptionist had slipped in a recommendation as she didn't want to be accused of not doing her job. Deciding not to make things hard for her, White nodded and replied.

"T-Thanks, I'll think about it."

"No problem!"

Smiling as if she'd appreciated his follow-up, the blonde-hair bowed and gestured to a flight of stairs at the side.

"Your room is a single-bed room on the second level. Take a left turn at the stairs and it should be your room at the end."

"...Also... if you need room service... call me."

(...!!!)

After escaping from her hands touching the side of his flushed face, White retreated upstairs with quick steps.

He was unable to withstand temptation. After all, he was a virgin, he didn't know if he was being teased or not. The time with Shinri had already made him paranoid of being blue-balled. He was also not confident with areas relating to romance.

"...Phew..."

He had unconsciously heaved a sigh of relief because of the bubbling tension earlier.

Arriving at the doorstep of his assigned room, White unlocked the door with the key and stepped inside after closing it after him.

The room was larger than his apartment, but the furnishing was simple such that there was not much to look at. A full-sized bed was positioned at the center of the room with a dressing table right beside it and a windowsill which leads to a window right above. There was also a wardrobe which he could hang his clothes in, and a bathroom next to that wall.

He first took a bath, and surprisingly it wasn't that much different from a normal bath on Earth. The only difference was that the faucet had been replaced with an automatic capability that would operate once he injected his 'intention to use' into it. Apparently this was an item that was powered by dungeon cores. White dumped all his dirty laundry into a core-powered washing machine so they would be cleaned as he took his time in the bathroom.

White had almost fell asleep in the bath because of how comfortable it felt, but he eventually got out of it, dried himself with a towel and wore the clothes provided by the inn inside the bathroom. The feeling of clean clothes was really comfortable. He also noticed that there was something like a receiver, or a dialpad on a coffee table at the corner.

(A hotel line?)

Was this the way guests could call room service like the receptionist had said? 

(...No no no no...)

He quickly shook off the lewd thoughts forming in his head.

In any case if he looked at it from a clearer perspective, everything so far felt like an experience in a two-star hotel to him. Was this what the hero who came from Earth had envisioned with their 'inventions'?

White didn't pursue such a tedious topic any further. He thought that everything was fine as long as it was comfortable.

Now that he had found some time alone, White began to reflect on the happenings for today. He plopped himself onto the bed wearily and looked up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

He thought that he had persisted for long enough, and he could finally enjoy the soft comfort of a proper bed. The silky texture of the bed sheets began to draw out his accumulated fatigue from his body, and slowly he began to close his heavy eyelids. It didn't take long for White to fall asleep within a few minutes.